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Facebook and Debt Collectors

On Behalf of | Jan 20, 2012 | Consumer Protection

The
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
or FDCPA’s goal is to protect the consumer against abusive debt
collectors and their abusive tactics.  What are
abusive tactics
?  This includes:

 – Using profane language or language that is harassing or
abusive
 – Calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
 – Telling other people (family, friends, neighbors) about
your debt
 – Calling you at work if you have advised them , or they
have been advised, that you cannot accept these calls at
work.
 – Making misrepresentations of fact to you, such as how much
you owe, or certain actions they may take to force you to pay
them
 – Threatening arrest or criminal prosecution
 – Sending false information to the credit bureaus
 – Causing your phone to ring an unreasonable amount of
times
 FACEBOOK and FDCPA
Debt collectors are learning how to infiltrate social network
pages like Facebook.  One strategy is to portray a very
attractive woman so people will accept their friendship whether or
not they know the person.  Collectors can post on your
Facebook wall or ask your contacts about your whereabouts. 
However, the
FDCPA
prevents collectors from posting your debt or mentioning
that you owe a debt to your contacts. 

Whether or not you are in debt, keep in mind everything you post
on the Internet is out in the public domain.  A good rule of
thumb is to not post anything that would not want your boss or
future boss to know about.   According to Career
Builders, 45% of employers check your social media presence when
hiring and 35% of employers found content that lead not hiring the
applicant.  See also article

If a collector informed one of your contacts about your debt,
you have rights and we’re here to help.  SmithMarco, P.C., has
over 30 years of combined experience practicing law protecting the
rights of consumers around the country. If you feel that you’re
rights have been violated, please contact us for a free case
review.

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